Part 12 (1/2)
I wanted more than anything to ask him what his bad memories were, but I could see by his face that he didn't want to talk anymore, so I just sat there watching him whittle. After several minutes of silence, I got up and brushed the dried gra.s.s from my backside. ”Guess I'll see you later.”
Jeb reached his dirty hand out and handed me the bird call.
”Want me to keep it for you till you're done workin'?” I asked.
”Want you to keep it for good.”
”Keep it? I thought you were makin' it for yourself 'cause you like birds.”
”I'll make another one.”
I studied it for a minute before asking, ”You sure?”
”I'm sure.” Then he walked off without another word, grabbing his gloves on his way.
I called after him, ”Thank you!” but he kept walking without turning around.
Those were the kinds of things Jeb did all the time, I would find. He liked helping people, but he didn't like getting attention for it. So I'd always just accept his kindness, give him a quiet thank-you, and leave.
I especially enjoyed my visits with Jeb because we didn't have many visitors anymore, and life on the farm was getting good and boring. Daddy told us it would last for only a little while longer. He thought once some time had pa.s.sed, people would get used to us having Gemma, and life would get easier. But from what I'd seen recently, it seemed that hard hearts had long memories.
For the first time in my life, I wasn't so sure my daddy was right.
Luke didn't trust Jeb from the start, I could tell. After our trouble with the Klan, he started hanging around our house every day after work, and he'd watch Jeb from the porch with a suspicious eye.
”What you got against Jeb?” I asked him one day.
”Ain't got nothin' against him.”
I hopped onto the porch rail and tucked my knees under my chin. ”You're lyin'. You watch him like Duke watches a squirrel.”
”You imagine things,” Luke told me around the piece of tall gra.s.s he was chewing thoughtfully, but his eyes never left Jeb.
”Then how come you can't look at me instead of Jeb?”
He just kept rocking in his chair, stewing.
”I said why can't you stop watchin' Jeb? You listenin' to me?”
Luke stopped rocking, pulled the gra.s.s from his mouth, and looked at me with extra-wide eyes. ”There! I'm lookin' at you. You happy now?”
I rolled my eyes and hopped down from the rail.
”Where you goin'?” Luke asked as I walked down the steps.
”To talk to Jeb.”
”What for?”
”'Cause I like him, that's what for. What're you so worked up about?” I asked wryly, my eyes squinted to avoid the late afternoon sun. ”You ain't got nothin' against him, remember?”
Luke sighed loudly enough for the neighbors to hear and got out of the rickety rocking chair so hard it slid back against the house.
”Where you goin'?” I asked.
”With you.”
”I ain't goin' into town or nothin'. I'm just walkin' over to the meadow.”
”So?”
”So you don't need to follow me everywhere.” I watched as his mouth curved down into a frown, and I hoped my argument didn't really change his mind. I may have talked like he was being ridiculous, but I wanted him to come with me all the same. I wanted him going everywhere with me.
To my pleasure, he threw the piece of gra.s.s to the ground and said, ”Ain't no law against a man walkin' through meadows, is there?”
I shrugged like I didn't care, but there was a mile-wide smile on my face when I turned back around.
Jeb was busy sharpening some tools when we came upon him, but he stopped and looked up at us. ”Hey there, Miss Jessilyn. . . . Talley,” he said to Luke with a nod. ”Doin' fine?”
”Gettin' by,” Luke replied curtly.
”I'm doin' just fine too,” I said quickly to talk over Luke's harsh tone. ”You look hot there, Jeb. You need some lemonade or somethin'?”
”Naw, I done got me a big old jug of water over there by the shed. That'll do me just fine.”
Luke sauntered around the shed, studying the area like a detective, taking time now and again to peer sideways at Jeb.
Jeb watched him for a minute until I asked him, ”Ain't you 'bout done with work today? It's gettin' late.”
”I wanted to get these tools taken care of tonight so I can use them in the mornin'. Like to get started right off tomorrow.” He wiped his hands on an old rag and then wiped his forehead with it too. ”Guess I'm through now.”
I glanced over my shoulder as a shadow came up behind me and saw Luke strutting toward us with his hands on his hips. ”You been rummagin' in that shed there?” he asked Jeb.
”Just gettin' out the tools I needed to work on.”
”Uh-huh.” Luke eyed those tools and kept nodding methodically. ”You know anythin' about that hole under the shed, Jeb?”
”Hole?” I asked. ”What hole?”
”There's a big ol' hole there,” he said, pointing toward the far end of the shed.
I went over and stuck my right foot down into it, wiggling my toes around. ”Must've been Duke lookin' for somethin' again.”
”Don't know,” Luke said. ”Maybe a person's been diggin' there.”
”Diggin' for what?” I spluttered. ”Last I heard we ain't got treasure buried on La.s.siter property.”